Two Obituaries for Martin Holtan
Oct. 14, 1956 Minot Daily News Obituary Notices
Martin Holtan, 80, Pioneer Washburn Merchant, Dies
WASHBURN-Martin Holtan, 80, who had operated the Holtan Mercantile Co. here for 55 years, died Monday in a Bismarck hospital where he had been admitted Saturday.
Funeral services will be held here Thursday at 2:30 p.m. in First Lutheran church with the Rev. I. P. Paulson officiating. Interment will be in Riverview cemetery. A memorial fund will be established by the family in Mr. Holtan’s name.
Son of a pioneer who settled north of Washburn in 1886, he owned a major share of the Holtan Mercantile Co., a department store opened in Washburn in 1901 by his father. The Mercantile company is McLean county’s oldest retail outlet.
Born in Winnebago County, Iowa, on July 17, 1876, Mr. Holtan was a son of Hans Holtan and the former Margit Nordgaard. The family came to North Dakota and homesteaded eight miles north of Washburn, where Martin Holtan attended rural schools. He completed his education at Decorah, la., and taught in a school near there for two years, then returned to Washburn and taught school here.
A member of First Lutheran church, Mr. Holtan was active in church and civic affairs, served as a deacon and trustee of the church, taught in the Sunday school and was a member of the choir and Lutheran Brotherhood. He was a charter member of the Washburn Lions club, a member of the fire department and served on the school board and the city commission.
Survivors include his wife, the former Amanda Peterson, whom he married on Dec. 10, 1903, at Washburn; and four children, Howard, Earl, Blanche and Orville, all of Washburn. His parents and seven brothers and sisters preceded in death.
Henne funeral home at Washburn is making arrangements.
Thursday, October 18, 1956 Washburn newspaper?
Martin Holtan, Pioneer Merchant, Claimed by Death
Martin Holtan. 80, the son of a pioneer McLean County family and owner of a major share in the Holtan Mercantile Co. in Washburn, died in a Bismarck hospital Monday following a two-day hospitalization.
Mr. Holtan was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Hans Holtan, who homesteaded north of Washburn in 1886, when Washburn was only three years old. The Holtan store was opened in 1901; by the elder Holtan. In the past few years, Mr. Holtan had been associated with his three sons and daughter: Howard, Earl, Orville and Blanche. The Holtan firm was the oldest retail outlet in McLean County.
Mr. Holtan taught school in Iowa and North Dakota before entering the mercantile business. He received his education in Decorah, Iowa. Mr. Holtan always took an active part in community afffairs and in First Lutheran Church, of which he had been a long-time member. He also served on the Washburn city commission.
Funeral services will be conducted (today) Thursday, Oct. 18 at 2:30 p.m. in the First Lutheran church at Washburn. The Rev. I. P. Paulson will officiate, and burial will be in Riverview cemetery. The family requests no flowers, and asks that memorials be given to the Crippled Children’s Home at Jamestown and to the Riverview Cemetery association.
A native of Iowa, Mr. Holtan was born July 17. 1876 in Winnebago County, the son of Hans and Margit Nordgaard Holtan. He came to North Dakota in 1886 with his parents, who homesteaded 8 miles north of Washburn. Mr. Holtan attended rural schools in McLean County before completing his education in Decorah. After teaching two years in Iowa and two years in the Washburn community, he and his brother, Henry, became associated with their father in the Hans Holtan and Sons Mercantile store at Washburn in 1901. The store celebrated its 55th anniversary this year. Mr. Holtan formed the present Holtan Mercantile Co. in January, 1912, and continued to take an active part in its operation until he became ill Saturday.
Mr. Holtan was married to Amanda Peterson at Washburn on Dec. 10, 1903. She survives as do the children already mentioned, and several grandchildren. His parents, seven brothers and two sisters preceded him in death.
At First Lutheran church, Mr. Holtan served in the choir, was a deacon and a trustee for many years. taught Sunday school and was a member of the Brotherhood of the church. He was a charter member of the Washburn Lions club and an honorary member of the volunteer fire department.
Honorary pallbearers will be John Robinson, Sr., Oscar Nordquist, W. K. Williams, Otto Olson, Hans Fischer, Henry Sheldon and John Williams. Active pallbearers will be J.S. Stevens, R. O. Everson, Harry Jones, John Tweeten, O. J. Franze and Leroy Anderson.
The Henne Funeral Home of Washburn was in charge of the services.